The 2021 Guide for Completing Your ACH Risk Assessment is a publication designed to assist financial institutions in completing a step-by-step assessment. Each financial institution is required to perform a risk assessment of their ACH activities and implement a risk management program in accordance with the requirements of their regulators. Individual sections within the document address: risk management systems and controls, credit risk, high-risk activities and direct access to the ACH Operator, compliance and transaction risk, vendor and third-party management, information technology and information security, and business continuity. A pre-assessment checklist and guide directions are included to assist the assessor. The document includes tools to help the assessor understand ACH participants and payment applications.